What is the secret to good crime writing? No one better to ask than a group of Australia's leading crime writers. Their conclusions are fascinating, provocative, often surprising, and they are all drawn from the hard school of personal experience. What pieces of advice do the writers have in common? That there is no substitute for hard work! One tells us there is no such thing as writer's block - "just do it" is a common theme. There is a fun part though: research.

Book Review:

The great thing about collections like IF I TELL YOU... I'LL HAVE TO KILL YOU is that it will appeal to readers and writers alike. Published by Allen & Unwin, edited by Michael Robotham, with a terrific Introduction by him into the bargain, this collection of writing from some of Australia's best crime writers reveals their writing secrets. It also asks them for their Five Must-Reads. So why not Five Why-This-Collection-Is-A-Must-Reads in return.

1. For budding, or dreaming writers, this collection has more than enough hints, tips, warnings and suggestions to make any of you sit up and pay attention.

2. For readers, this is the equivalent of attending the world's best possible Readers Festival Panel. Not only do you get to hear a bit of what goes on behind the scenes of some favourite books, you get to hear about it in each writer's own unique voice. You also get to read their Must-Read lists and jot down a suggested reading list to die for.

3. There are some writers in this collection that simply cannot help themselves. Revealing their secrets they might be, but along the way they are telling yarns. From getting stuck in freezers leading to an idea for a debut novel, through to the way to get yourself a start as a stripper. From indepth research and Google searching locations, to the way that life just can't help but line itself up for art's purposes. Then there's the hilarious reality check straight from the mouths of children. Not only is this an informative collection, it's clever and it's funny.

4. If for no other reason - the Five Must-Reads is a real eye-opener. Sure there are some that you'd be forgiven for expecting - Five Go to Smuggler's Way by Enid Blyton and Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. But the unexpected were a real pleasure - Why I Am Not a Christian by Bertrand Russell and The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks as a couple of examples. Regardless of how you feel about the list - it's one hell of a Mt TBR and a lot of the suggestions were added back into my "Must Read Before I Drop Dead List". Which, after IF I TELL YOU, is now about 20 years longer than it was.

5. Best of all, in ensuring that we're getting a really good read, and that little bit of insight into the inner workings of our favourite authors, we're also doing our bit to support Australia's own Ned Kelly Awards. Since 1995 the Neds have supported and awarded some of the best crime writing in this country. Bit of a win-win really.

Declaration of Interest - I was recently very honoured to be asked to join the Committee of ACWA (Australian Crime Writers Association - the body responsible for the Ned Kelly Awards and http://www.austcrimewriters.com). A long time after the idea, the contributions and the compilation of this book came into fruition, and believe me, I'd have read it with eagerness regardless of that connection.

This is a seriously brilliant idea this book, one that I'm really pleased to see close to out and about. (Dislaimer: I was recently invited to join ACWA's committee. A long time after this book was conceived and developed.)

From the Blurb:

Crime fiction is the single most popular genre in international publishing and Australia has some of the finest practitioners when it comes to walking the mean streets and nailing the bad guys.

Crime fiction is the single most popular genre in international publishing and Australia has some of the finest practitioners when it comes to walking the mean streets and nailing the bad guys.

Whether you're a fan of crime fiction, true crime or a would-be crime writer, this collection of essays will provide laughter, understanding, insight, ideas, advice and hopefully some inspiration. Learn about Shane Maloney's near-death experience in a freezer, Leigh Redhead's adventures as a stripper and Tara Moss taking a polygraph test to prove her doubters wrong.

Hands up everyone who has ever thought that owning a secondhand bookshop sounds like their idea of a perfect life. If your hand is in the air you might have a problem. Reading DE LUXE is either going to put you off the idea - or make it seem just that bit too exciting. Personally I still rather like the idea of a bookshop of my own, so I'm hoping that the extra-curricula activities that Jack Susko gets involved in aren't compulsory!

DE LUXE is the third instalment in this wonderful set of books, set in Sydney, "starring" Jack Susko, aforementioned bookshop person, cat owner, flat renter and accidental detective. Accidental as in the way he gets involved in these situations, accidental as in the way he solves many of these situations, accidental as in what happens to him along the way.

The Jack Susko books are all highly entertaining, with a combination of rapid-fire delivery, heaps of charm and charisma and not a little of your traditional love-lorn bloke. Now there's nothing much new in the scenario's of your accidental detective - but the delivery in the case of these books is what makes the whole thing. Sure Jack seems like an unlikely sort of a hero, he's your quintessential Aussie bloke trying to get the girl, keep his shop, stay alive and make his cat love him. In this case he's also trying very hard to sort out his future home and hearth.

There is a lot of rushing around, there's more than a hefty dose of Energiser Bunny type actions on Jack's part (as well as some very tidy stealthy sneaking around). There are fast cars, gorgeous women, lurking gangsters, ex-lovers, new boyfriends, nefarious goings on and the occasional dollop of book buying business. The great thing about these books is that even when presented with some of the most unlikely circumstances, it all makes immense sense in Jack world. It also makes immense sense that in Jack world not everything always pans out, he doesn't necessarily get the girl, Lois the cat is still going to take some convincing to like him, and the bookshop is still teetering on the edge of broke.

DE LUXE is one of those perfect little dollops of sheer entertainment. A great book for a rainy Sunday, excellent on a dark night curled up on the couch, perfect as a beach read in the heights of summer. Make sure that whatever the weather, wherever you are, you take the time to catch up with Jack. The good thing about this series is that really you could dip in anywhere in the three books so far. Starting from the start of the series will give you a better idea of everything that makes Jack tick - but whatever you do, make sure that you do dip in.

Jack Susko is trying for a quiet life in his second-hand bookshop in downtown Sydney. It's more tin mine than gold mine, yet it's his and that's something. But when a wealthy businessman hires Jack to locate some books for him, life starts to get a little more complicated.

Soon he's up to his neck in family secrets, corruption and murder, plunged into a world he thought he'd left behind. Making a play for the businessman's beautiful daughter doesn't help matters. And as the bodies start piling up, Jack can't help but wonder when second-hand book dealing became so dangerous.

Shhh - embargoed until the end of July so no details - but just a quick note to say I'm reading this, ready for review on the day of release. This is SUCH a good series it's hard to ignore a new book once it arrives through the door!

From the Blurb:

For once, Jack Susko is feeling pretty good: his second-hand bookshop is on the up, and the cops haven't been around in ages. Even his cat, Lois, is being nice to him.

The one morning a beautiful woman knocks on Jack's door and hands him an eviction notice.

Blurb from the Book

After yet another slow week at the cash register, that fine purveyor of second-hand literature, Susko Books, is facing financial ruin. Jack Susko sets off to a gallery in Woollahra to scrape up some coin with the sale of an old art catalogue. With his usual panache and exquisite timing, he arrives just as De Groot Galleries is being done over by masked thieves. Along with a mysterious object from the safe, the robbers seize a valuable first edition from Jack’s bag, too.